Metal smoother



May 29, 1956 Filed May 15, 1953 Fig.2

5. A. RICHMOND METAL SMOOTHER IN VEN TOR.

Wynn; Em

United States Patent METAL SMOOTHER Samuel A. Richmond, Dalton, Ga.

Application May 15, 1953, Serial No. 355,347

3 Claims. (Cl. 153.':2)v

This invention relates in general to metal working tools, and more specifically to a metal smoother for use on damaged automobile bodies and the like.

At the present time there are many metal smoothers on the market which are intended to be moved back and forth over the damaged portions of a vehicle body to straighten the same. However, the construction and arrangement of these devices are such that it is difficult to properly adjust the metal rolling dies carried thereby and to retain such dies in adjusted positions.

It is therefore the primary object of this. invention to provide an improved metal smoother which includes a supporting frame for metal rolling dies, said supporting frame having a hinge connection to facilitate the adjustment of dies with respect to each other and including an adjustable brace means whereby the dies may be rigidly positioned relative to each other to facilitate the smoothing of metal therebetween.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved supporting frame for metal. smoothing dies, said supporting frame being generally U-shaped in outline and having one leg thereof with an intermediate hinge connection, said leg being provided with adjustable brace means whereby a free end thereof may be adjusted with respect to'the free end of the outer leg so that dies canied thereby may be adjusted with respect to each other to accommodate various roughness of metal and various gauges of metal.

Another object of this invention isv to provide an improved metal smoother which is of an extremely simple construction and which is formed of readily obtainable materials so as to be economicallyfeasible.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved metal smoother which includes an adjustable supporting" frame for metal rolling dies, the-supporting frame having adjustable base means in the form of compound linkage which is readily adjusted so that the dies may be quickly positioned with respect' to the metal" to be smoothed.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the metal smoother which is the subject of this invention and shows the same positioned on a sheet of metal to be smoothed, a supporting frame of the metal smoother having portions thereof broken away and shown in section in order to clearly illustrate the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper portion of the metal smoother and shows the same in an inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the metal smoother of Figure 1 and shows the general arrangement of linkage forming the adjustable brace for the supporting frame;

2,747,643 Patented May 29, 1956 Figure 4 is a front elevational view of. the metal smoother of Figure 1;

Figure-5 is a fragmentary front elevationalview of the metal smoother with the brace means therefor being omitted and shows a modified form of metal rolling die being utilized; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of Figure. 5 and shows the general construction of the modifiedsform of dies.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the metal smoother which is the subject of this invention, the metal smoother being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The major element of the metal smoother 10 isv a. generally C-shaped supporting frame which is referred to inv general by the reference numeral 12. The supporting frame 12 includes an upper leg 14 and a lower leg 16 which are disposed in spaced parallel relation and joined together by a rear bight portion 18.

Disposed. at the forward end of eachof the legs 14 and 16 is a centrally located notch. 20 in which is disposed a rearwardly extending centering lug 22 of an associated die, the die being referred to in general by the reference numeral 24. In addition to the centering lug 22, each die. 24 includes an elongated leg 26 which has secured to the lower end thereof. a suitable metal engagingv foot. The foot of the uppermost. die" is. referred to by the reference numeral 28 and: isrelatively long whereas the foot carried by the: lowermost die is referred to by reference numeral 30 and isin. the form of; a transversely extending circular cross sectionalrod.

The leg 26 of each die 24 is provided with an aperture 32 which is aligned with an aperture 34 in its associated centering lug 22. Passing through the aligned apertures 32 and 34 isa suitable. fastener36 which is threadedlyengaged in an internally threaded bore 38 in the associated leg of the supportingfrarne 12.

In order that the feet 28 and 30 of the dies 24 may be positioned relative to each other for the smoothing of a damaged sheet of metal, such as'the metal 40, the leg 14 is provided with a hinge connection 42 intermediate its ends. The hinge connection 42 permits the movement of the free end of the leg 14 away from the; free end of theleg 16. so that the distance between thefeet 28 and 30- may bevaried.

In order that the-position of. the free end of the leg 14 may be retainedin adjustedposition relative to the leg 16, the same is provided with a. suitable adjustable brace which is referred. to in general by the reference numeral 44. The brace 44 includes a pair of spaced parallelforwardly extending'inverted V-shaped braces. 46- which have extending between their apices a pivot pin 48. It will be noted that the pivot pin 48 is disposed forwardly of the hinge connection 42.

Pivotally carried by the pivot pin 48 is a rear portion of a forwardly extending link 50, the rear portion being disposed between the forward portions of the braces 46.

As is best illustrated in Figure 3, the forward end of the link 50 is bifurcated as at 52 and is provided with a transversely extending pin 54 which extends between the bifurcated portions of the link 50.

Carried by the bifurcated forward portion of the link 50 and pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 54 is an intermediate link 56. The intermediate link 56 is connected at its forward end to a pair of downwardly and rearwardly extending spaced parallel links 58 by a forward pivot pin 60. The lower ends of the links 58 are connected to a pair of spaced lugs 60 carried by the forward portion of the leg 14 by a transversely extending pivot pin 62.

In order that the linkage forming the adjustable base 44 may be conveniently positioned, the intermediate link tion and the link 50 moves to an upwardly'and forwardly extending position. When thevarious links are so positioned, the forward portion of the leg 14 is tilted slightly forwardly and upwardly so that the foot 28 is moved away from the foot 30. When the feet 28. and30 are so positioned, the metal smoother. "may. be conveniently positioned over the sheet ofmetal40.

. After the .feet 28 and 'have been properly positioned with respect to the sheet of metal 46, the handle 68 is once again moved downwardly to a position illustrated in Figure 1. When'so positioned, the feet 28 and 30 tightly clamp the sheet of metal 40 and movement thereof over the sheet 40 will smooth the same.

In order that the feet 28 and 30 may be adjustably positioned relative to each other in operative positions, there is provided an adjustable stop for the adjustable brace 44. The adjustable stop is in the form of an adjustable fastener 70 threadedly engaged in an internally threaded bore 72 in the forward portion of the leg 14. The adjustable be understood that other types of dies may be substituted in lieu of the dies 24 for usewith the supporting frame 12, the other dies being utilized in a similar manner for removing rough portions of a sheet of metal.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted'to, falling within the scope ofthe appended claims.

' die supports carried by saidlegs, one of said'legs having a hinge connection intermediate its ends providing a hinged leg portion 011 which one of said die supports is carried to facilitate positioning of said die supports relative to each other, adjustable brace means to retain said hinged portion of said leg in adjusted positions, said brace means fastener'70 is retained in an adjusted position within the bore 72 by suitable lock nuts 74 and the head thereof is positioned to engage the lower forward portion of the link 56 to limit downward movement thereof. It will be seen that by varying the position of the adjustable fastener 70 with respect to the leg 14 the position of the link 56 may also be varied. Variance of the operative position of the link 56 will of necessity result .in the adjustable positioning of the feet 28 and'30 relative to each other..

Inasmuch as the. dies 24 are removably secured to the legs 14' and 16, so that they may be replaced by other dies,

such as those illustrated in Figures 5 and 6." It will be noted that the dies illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 are identical and referred to in general by the reference numeral 76. The dies 76, like the dies 24 include vertical leg portions 78 which are secured to the respective legs of the I supporting frame 12 by removable fasteners 80. Each of the legs 78 includes a bifurcated inner end 82 which has extending therebetween a pivot pin 84. Mounted on the pivot pin 84 is a roller 86.

It will be noted that the roller 86 of the lowermost die including a compound linkage in the plane of said 0- shaped frame and having a first link pivotally connected at one end tothe fired portion of said leg, an intermediate link pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first link, a third link pivotally connected at one end to the other, end of said intermediate link, said third link being pivotally connected at its opposite end to said hinged leg portion, said third link being inclined toward the free end of said hinged leg portion when the axes of said first and said intermediate links are in alignment and said hinged leg portion is either in alignment with or at a small angle with respect to said fixed leg portion, and an adjustable stop secured to said hinged leg portion and arranged on said hinged leg portion for adjustment to 1 engage a surface on said intermediate link concentric with its connection to said third link when said hinged leg portion occupies a position either in alignment with or at a small angle to the fixed leg portion. 1

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein there is a handle secured to saidintermediate link in order to actuate said compound linkage.v v

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein there are means removably securing said metal rolling die supports respectively to said hinged leg portion of one of said legs and to the other of said legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,960 Rafi June 29, 1920 1,420,064 Stiles June 20, 1922 2,251,030 Blevins July 29, 1941 2,387,771 Rosenbrook Oct. 30, 1945 

